Animal Hoarding: How Many Pets are Too Many?

A room full of pets

Animal Hoarding: How Many Pets are Too Many?

When nigh people think of creature hoarding, they think of the extreme cases shown on Animate being Planet's Confessions: Animal Hoarding, or similar programs on A&E and Discovery networks. Others retrieve of the crazy, elderly cat lady, exemplified by Arabella Figg, the Squib cat dealer who served as Harry Potter'due south occasional babysitter on Wisteria Walk. Despite such stereotypical descriptions of brute hoarders, no particular group of people is at risk for the disorder. All types of people and multiple species of animals, not only dogs and cats, can be involved in hoarding.

Is the clinic client with 10 cats a hoarder?

The respond is not equally elementary equally the question seems. If the 10 cat owner is able to provide a make clean, disease-free home surroundings, preventive healthcare, and emergency services for the 10 cats, AND is able provide themselves with food, clothing, a make clean dwelling house and pay his bills, he is probably not an animal hoarder. But, if he is behind in his rent, only brings in sick cats in poor physical status and denies the cat has a serious medical problem, the veterinarian may be dealing with an animal hoarder.

What are some of the risks for animals, animal hoarders or for those living in a community with a hoarder?

Because animals that are hoarded do non have adequate food, medical care and hygiene, hoarding is considered to be a class of beast cruelty. In improver to neglecting their animals, hoarders often neglect themselves or other family members such every bit children and the elderly. The squalid conditions found in hoarding situations affect not merely the animal hoarder and the animals, just may hurt the community as well. At that place is an increased gamble of burn down, poor air quality and transmission of infectious disease from ill animals to humans.

If you suspect someone is an animal hoarder, what can you do?

  • Phone call your local humane law enforcement organization. If you are non certain who is in your jurisdiction, ask your veterinarian.
  • Animal hoarding is not but an animal problem; it is a human i besides. Management of a hoarding situation includes contacting a social services organization to aid the hoarder empathize.
  • Support but legitimate animate being rescue groups. Don't confuse an beast hoarder with not–for-turn a profit rescue groups, shelters or brute sanctuaries. Volunteer or give coin to documented 501(c)(iii) corporations with a reputation for providing high quality animal care.

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This may also be found in the "Tales from the Pet Clinic" web log on WebMD.com.
For over a century, The Brute Medical Center has been a national leader in animal health care, known for its expertise, innovation and success in providing routine, specialty and emergency medical care for companion animals. Thanks in office to the indelible generosity of donors, The AMC is also known for its outstanding teaching, inquiry and compassionate community funds. Please assistance us to go along these efforts. Send your contribution to: The Fauna Medical Center, 510 Due east 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065. For more information, visit www.amcny.org. To make an appointment, please call 212.838.7053.

Tags: AMC, animal cruelty, animal medical eye, creature planet, animal rescue, true cat, dogs, hoarding, humane, new york vet, pet health, pet owner, pets, veterinarian, WebMD,

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